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Cornell University Unplugged
9/1/2004
• Any large-scale deployment requires access points that are inexpensive to install and maintain, but also provide great coverage. A state-of-the-art wireless network needs to operate with the quality of service of a wired network—not that of a cellular network.• Successful wireless networks are developed in a collaborative process. Having a champion to voice the requirements of the users and shepherd the trial phases is vital to a smooth transition, satisfied users and appropriate deployment of network administrators.
• While one would think cellular access would be inhibited by Cornell’s surrounding environment of mountains and gorges, in fact, it is the use of concrete in older buildings that blocks cellular signals. By using a Layer 3 wireless LAN, the school can have fully functioning devices and pagers.
• Look for additional features. Eventually, professors will want to limit students’ usage of devices during lectures and class time. A wireless system that provides virtualization (separate virtual networks) is essential to implementing a measure of control in the classroom.
• Choose systems that interoperate with existing network equipment. No business should build a wireless network from scratch. Time, money and resources used to create wired networks need to be leveraged. As a result, be sure to select a system that is backward and forward compatible.
Leveraging the Big LAN on Campus
Cornell University is building a wireless network without boundaries. Wireless networks are no longer just about access—they are about changing the way we interact with others using new dual-mode phones, computers, and other wireless-enabled devices.
Cornell’s wireless initiatives continue to attract students, increase the productivity of all constituents, and help propel the university’s reputation as a world-class institution of higher education.
Kevin Baradet (kb15@cornell.edu) is chief technology officer at the Johnson
Graduate School of Management, Cornell University.
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